Plant Growth

and
Development
Plant
Growth
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How do living organisms develop and maintain
their predominant form and shape?
It all starts with the process of
differentiation of a single cell
called zygote
 What is a zygote?
o A zygote is a eukaryotic cell formed by a
fertilization event between two gametes.
o The zygote is formed in the union of the sperm
cell and egg cell.

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What is plant growth?
◦ It is defined as an irreversible, permanent
increase in size, volume, or mass of a cell
or organ or whole organism, related to
change in size and mass
◦ Plant growth is defined as the increase of
plant volume and mass with or without
the formation of new structures such as
organs, tissues, cells, or cell organelles
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The Three Phases of
growth:
1) Cell division
2) Cell enlargement
3) Differentiation

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 “
Phase 1.
Cell Division

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Cell Division
o For plants to develop,
their cells have to divide.
o First, the genetic material
located in the cell nucleus
divides. Two whole new cell
nuclei form from the
duplicated genetic material.
o Cell division is the increase in
the number of cells

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Where will cell division happen?
o Cell division takes place in the meristematic
regions.
o Meristem is the tissue in which growth occur in
plants

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The three types of meristematic tissues:
1) Apical Meristem
2) Intercalary Meristem
3) Lateral Meristem

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1) Apical Meristem
o is the growth region in plants found within
the root tips and the tips of the new shoots
and leaves
o Apical is a description of growth occurring
at the tips of the plant, both top and
bottom.

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1) Apical Meristem
o Apical meristem is crucial in extending both
access to nutrients and water via the roots
and access to light energy via the leaves
o Plants must expand in both of these
directions in order to be successful
o Apical meristem is responsible for the
primary growth (lengthening of plant)

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The two types of apical meristem:
A. Shoot Apical Meristem (SAM)
o Shoot apical meristem is found in the tips of
plants
o Shoot apical meristem is responsible for
creating cells and growth to drive the plant
into the light and air, where it can
photosynthesize and exchange built up
gases.

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The two types of apical meristem:
B. Root Apical Meristem (RAM)
o The root apical meristem is found at the tips
of roots
o Root apical meristem senses the conditions
of the soil around the root, signals are
created within the apical meristem which
direct the plant towards water and desired
nutrients

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The two types of apical meristem:
B. Root Apical Meristem
o The root apical meristem produces enough
cells to not only extend into the soil, but
also to replace the cells lost to abrasion.

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Apical Meristem

“ Shoot Apical
Meristem

Root Apical
Meristem

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2) Intercalary Meristem (IM)
o The IM are located at the internodes or the
base of the leaves
o IM is responsible for the longitudinal
growth of internode and floral stalk or
scape
o IM is responsible for the production of the
majority of cells in stems

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Intercalary Meristem

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3) Lateral Meristem
o The lateral meristem is a type of meristem
that occurs at the lateral areas of the plant
like vascular and cork cambia
o Lateral meristem is responsible for the
secondary growth of plant, the increase in
stem girth and thickness

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Lateral Meristem

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Meristematic Region

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 “
Phase 2.
Cell Enlargement

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Cell Enlargement)

o Cell enlargement is the second

phase of growth
o The daughter cells formed in the
cell division increases in the size of
an individual cell
o The cell enlargement results in
considerable increase in size and
weight of organ and plant as a
whole
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 “
Phase 3.
Cell Differentiation

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Cell Differentiation
o The third and final phase of growth
o In this phase, the structure of the cells
changes to perform specific functions
o The elongated cells undergo maturation
and differentiation to gain permanent size
o The similar type of cells having the same
functions form a group known as tissue

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Cell Differentiation

o The cells get differentiated

to perform specific function
like the formation of root
hairs
o Structural and physiological
differentiation enables the
cells to perform particular
functions

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Stages of Plant Growth
Stages of Plant Growth
1)
2)
“
Lag Phase
Log Phase
3) Declining
4) Steady
5) Senescence

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1. Lag Phase
o It represents the initial phase in which the
rate of growth is very slow
o This phase requires more time for a little
growth
o It corresponds to the formative phase where
new cells are formed by cell division
o This is the period in which internal changes
occur preparatory to growth
o Early germination and vegetative growth
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1. Lag Phase

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2. Log Phase
o Also called as exponential growth
o The fastest rate of growth
o The growth rate becomes maximum and
more rapid
o Physiological activities of cells are at their
maximum
o Middle and last stage of vegetable growth
o It is referred to as “grand period of growth”

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2. Log Phase

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3. Declining Phase
o The stage where plants have fully developed
the number of leaves and size of leaves
o The onset of flowering

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3. Declining Phase

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4. Steady Phase
o This is the point in which the growth is just
steady
o A period of pod or grain filling to ripening
and maturity until growth ceases

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4. Steady Phase

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5. Senescence
o After maturity and growth ceases, the plants
begin to die and abscission of the leaves set
in, then growth curve fall down due to the
lose of some plant parts

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5. Senescence

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Stages of Plant Growth

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 “
Growth Rate

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Growth Rate
o Growth rate is defined as the growth per unit
of time
Types of growth:
1. Arithmetic Growth
2. Geometric Growth

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1) Arithmetic Growth
o A type of growth in which the rate of growth
is constant and increase in growth occurs in
arithmetic progression 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12.
o Arithmetic growth is found in root or shoot
elongating at constant rate.
o Meristematic cells at the growing point
divide in such a fashion that one daughter
cells remains meristematic while the other
cell differentiates, and the process continues

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1) Arithmetic Growth

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2) Geometric Growth
o It is quite common in unicellular organisms
when grown in nutrient rich medium
o In this every cell divide to form two daughter
cells. Both daughter cells retain the ability to
divide and continue to do so.
o Number of cells is initially small so that initial
growth is slow. Later on, there is rapid
growth at exponential rate.
o Geometric growth cannot be sustained for
so long.

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2) Geometric Growth

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Plant Development
 Plant Development
o Plant development is the overall changes that
a plant undergoes throughout its life cycle
o Plant development is a term that includes all
changes that an organism goes through
during its life cycle from germination of the
seed to senescence.
o Development has three interrelated aspects,
namely: growth, differentiation, and
organization
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 Aspects of Development

“
Development has three
interrelated aspects:
1) Growth
2) Differentiation
3) Organization

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1) Growth
an irreversible time change generally
accompanied by an increase in size, weight,
or mass

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2) Differentiation
o Differentiation is an outward sign of
selective gene action, the reflection of
change in the cell’s biochemical program
as a consequence of the release of
information encoded in one dimensional
sequences
o Differentiation is a process by which cells
derived from the meristems matures to
perform specific functions

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2) Differentiation

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3) Organization
Organization is the orientation and
integration of differentiated cells in space
together with regulated growth with the
consequent attainment of form and
structure of the complete organism

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3) Organization
Plants are made of specialized cells that are organized
into tissues. Plant tissues are organized into tissue systems.
Plants have three tissue systems:
1. Dermal Tissue System covers the outside of the plant
and gives protection
2. Ground Tissue System is a general tissue system with a
variety of function including photosynthesis and food
storage
3. Vascular Tissue system is the system responsible for
the transport of materials including water and
nutrients, throughout the plant.

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3) Organization
Plant tissue systems are organized into organs
Plants have four main organs:
1. Leaves are the main organs used to capture
sunlight used in photosynthesis
2. Roots are the main organs used to absorb water
and nutrients from the soil
3. Stems are the main organs used to transport
materials between leaves and roots
4. Reproductive organs produces seeds that grow
into new plants

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3) Organization
Plant organs group together to form organ
systems of the plant.
Plants have two main organ systems:
1. Root system is typically underground and
includes the root and associated fibers that
branch off the main root
2. Shoot system is typically above the ground and
includes the stem, leaves, and the reproductive
organs.

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General Organization of Plants

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Thank You!

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